Famous actor Gary Sinise is set to perform at the National Memorial Day Concert this year to commemorate the veterans who have served the United States. Sinise shared a video on Instagram in which he discussed members of his family who have served in the military, inspiring his support for veterans.
Sinise told his followers about his family’s military service, which dates back to his grandfather’s participation in World War I. He also pointed out that his father and his uncles served in various roles during subsequent wars in the 20th Century.
“I’m honored to be performing at the NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT,” Sinise said in the video “My active mission to give back to our defenders starts with family members. My grandfather served in World War I. He was an ambulance driver, driving back and forth from the front lines to the rear. And then he had three sons, one who was on a ship in the Pacific. My uncle, Jack, he was a navigator out of a B-17 bomber, and then my dad served in the Navy during the Korean War.”
Discussing the meaning behind the upcoming concert, Sinise noted the sacrifice American service members make to protect freedom. “A show like that National Memorial Day Concert really shows what the sacrifice is about and what it’s done to keep us all free. Our freedom. The freedom to do as we can, if we just dream about it, that has been bought and paid for. Because not everybody is free in this world.”
“It does get you because these are emotional stories of service and sacrifice, and stories of everyday people that just went off to serve their country and bad things happened to them. Memorial Day honors them. It honors their families,” he continued.
The actor also started the Gary Sinise Foundation with the goal of assisting servicemen and their families. The foundation’s website explains the mission of the organization, stating, “At the Gary Sinise Foundation, we serve our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. We do this by creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.”
The website further quotes Sinise, where he discusses the sheer importance of freedom and that Americans should never take it for granted. The actor urges everyone to show gratitude to the nation’s veterans who sacrificed so much for the country.
“Freedom and security are precious gifts that we, as Americans, should never take for granted. We must do all we can to extend our hand in times of need to those who willingly sacrifice each day to provide that freedom and security. While we can never do enough to show gratitude to our nation’s defenders, we can always do a little more,” he added.
Sinise has acted in a variety of different movies, famous for roles such as Lt. Dan in the 1994 classic film “Forest Gump.” Now, the actor is known for his humanitarian efforts, as demonstrated by his support for U.S. military veterans.
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